EVIL crooks posed as plumbers to prey on vulnerable pensioners to steal cash, bank cards and jewellery from their homes.

William Smith and Keira Baugh have been jailed after a spree of distraction burglaries and fraud offences across south Essex.

Baugh, 39, of Wendene, Basildon, was found by police after she left a tissue in one home with her DNA on it.

She admitted eight burglaries and three counts of fraud, while Smith, 24, of Chelmsford Road, Wickford, admitted two burglaries.

All of the wicked crimes happened in July last year in Basildon, Hockley, Wickford and Billericay. Smith claimed work needed to be done, and while he stole items in the home, Baugh would pose as his assistant to “take people’s details”.

Prosecuting at Southend Crown Court, John Livingston said the offending was the same across all incidents the crooks admitted, and share how in one incident in The Nazing, Basildon, Smith had posed as a worker of Anglian Water.

He said: “He said he needed to check the water pressure in her [the victim’s] house. She challenged him asking for his ID, and he said ‘I’m with them’, there was a conveniently placed Anglian Water van and she accepted this and as a result he was given entry to the property.

“She told him the boiler was in the loft and he used the ladder to get access to the loft.

“She [Baugh] came into the property posing as his assistant, asking the victim for information and the woman gave her a folder containing her paperwork relating to her utility bills.

“Smith returned with a pipe which he said had fallen off the boiler and it would cost £800 to replace the boiler.

“Baugh gave a tissue to Mr Smith, and had a tissue to wipe her face which she discarded on the floor.

“That tissue was forensically examined to find her DNA.”

Smith took a payment from the victim and said the boiler would be fixed the following Monday - but the victim watched the pair leave and get into a dark car on a side street.

She returned to find cash and jewellery of “considerable” sentimental value had been taken.

On the same day, July 30, the duo targeted an 88-year-old man’s home in Basildon and using similar tactics convinced him to give out his card and PIN number, before fleeing the scene.

Baugh would later try to use that card to buy a ring worth £2,100, and other transactions.

Mitigating for Baugh, Syam Soni said: “She has genuine remorse for offending that was mean spirited.

“She has shown genuine insight into that offending since being in a custodial environment.”

Adam Budworth, mitigating for Smith, said: “He came out of prison in January 2020 and couldn’t find work in a world of Covid. But his offending is behind him.” Recorder Elroy Claxton jailed them for two years, six months.